Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

MODERATE avalanche danger will exist at all elevations and on all aspects on slopes 37 degrees and steeper. Human triggered loose wet avalanches remain possible today. Some wet slab avalanches may also become possible on isolated terrain features where wet snow exists above an impermeable bed surface. Since most of the snow has melted away from the SE-S-SW-W aspects, wet snow instabilities on these aspects will remain limited to the isolated slopes that still have snow cover.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Last night's cloud cover and warm temperatures should have prevented the snowpack from undergoing much of a refreeze. The snowpack has not been through a solid refreeze for at least 3 nights now. As the day warms up, expect to find wet snow in any areas where snow exists. Human triggered loose wet avalanches will remain possible today on all aspects on slopes 37 degrees and steeper. Since most of the snow has melted away from the SE-S-SW-W aspects, wet snow instabilities will remain confined to the isolated areas where snow cover exists on these aspects. NW-N-NE-E aspects hold the best chances for finding wet snow instabilities today since snow cover remains more consistent on those aspects. Even though these kind of avalanches may not involve enough snow to bury a person, they can push people into areas that would have serious consequences. Keep in mind that secondary terrain hazards such as cliffs and terrain traps hold the potential to greatly magnify consequences of an avalanche that would otherwise be too small to bury or injure a person.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2

    Even though wet slab avalanches remain unlikely in most places, 3 nights in a row without a solid refreeze, another day of warm weather, and deep wet snow on all aspects where snow exists means that wet slab avalanches may become possible on isolated terrain features today. Since the snowpack has already been through so many melt-freeze cycles this year, the potential for these kind of avalanches should remain confined to isolated areas where the most wet snow exists and where a good bed surface (like a granite slab) exists below the wet snow. Use clues like shin deep wet snow and loose wet snow instabilities to help decide when to leave the snow and head for other activities.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday observations on Andesite Ridge and in the Red Vista area both showed wet snow on all aspects. In both places stepping off of one's skis resulted in sinking into wet snow deeper than the top of one's boots. In some areas in both of these places, wet snow existed all the way to the ground even on some E and NE aspects. Some small skier triggered pinwheels and roller balls did occur on a N aspect at 8600 ft. in the Red Vista area. On Andesite skiers triggered collapses near the summit in areas of rocky terrain where wet snow existed to the ground. In both of these areas the snow coverage has become patchy, and areas of bare ground have even started to appear on the NE aspects.

Regions covered